Be Happy Anyway

From Brave Girls Club

Sunday, July 20, 2008

And the band played on

Where I grew up at the end of fifth grade, students went through the annual ritual of determining if they were cut out for choir or band. They endured musical quizzes and other things that I don't quite remember, but at the end of it all, some were chosen to be in band, others choir. (I am not sure what happened to the others...maybe they sentenced to woodshop and art. Who knows?) After this process, the rite of passage would continue with the band directors checking each child's embouchure** to see which instrument they would best play. I was given the flute.

I don't remember what my parents said when I came home saying I was going to play the flute in sixth grade. I can guarantee that their first thought was, "How are we going to pay for that!?" Fortunately, the music store had a rental/payment plan in case a student decided after a month that they just weren't band material. I, however, was and after two years of band, my parents bought me the much coveted silver, open-holed flute which I played all they way through adulthood.

Why am I bringing this up now?*** My daughter attended music camp this week with a final performance on Friday. She had a little solo. It was so much fun to watch her come out of her performance shell. #1 also wants to play the flute or clarinet. I am less than hidden about my push for her to choose the flute since mine is hiding in the closet waiting for new pads, etc. This is not the beautiful aforementioned silver, opened-holed flute I played in a band and orchestra until 1997. That flute was stolen out of my car, and insurance wouldn't cover it. It would have replaced it if I'd had homeowner's insurance, but alas, I didn't. The only flute I have left is this sad flute that I bought to use in marching band to prevent damaging my good one.

So all of you out in bloggerland need to send your good vibrations toward my old flute. Just keep repeating, "Pick the flute, pick the flute, pick the flute...."

**embouchure: I am so proud of myself for being able to remember the word, never mind being able to spell it without looking it up.

On a completely different topic - You should check out 4 Squirts & a Dollop of Cream.Sharmaine is currently in an elimination type challenge at Project Scrap Away that requires her to meet their challenges and garner support from viewers of her blog. So I am posting in reference to her cute layouts. I especially liked her entry for the Black & White challenge where she made an adorable mini album. Good Luck, Sharmaine.

Me? I kicked off sixth grade on the oboe. Spent two years on that before moving up to bassoon, which I played for about three years. I also picked up the saxophone at the beginning of ninth grade because you can't really march with a bassoon.By the way, I hated it when my sister started playing the flute. She insisted on practicing in the living room while I was trying to watch television. Go for the sax, Cait! It's way cool. And just so you can be different, go for the baritone sax. Way cooler than the tenor sax. Oooooh, better yet, go for the bass sax. No one plays it. I played it a little when we were trying to get a jazz band started. It's fun.

Wait. Wait. I'm getting my saxes cornfused. It's the alto sax you should avoid. Too common. The tenor sax is cool. That's what I marched with. The baritone sax is what I played in jazz band. You'd probably have to bulk up a bit before you could march with that one, Cait. I doubt there is any middle or high schooler playing a bass sax. It's hugemongous. I miss the sax. It's fun and easy to play.

That's too funny! I was going to post about the irony that I just am re-joining an adult band! Then I looked at the link back to me! LOL! What a surprise!

I agree that alto sax is too common but tenors & baritones never get any good parts. (Alto is like the trumpet ~ the horns, trombones & euphoneums just get the whole notes & um-pa-pas). Now, soprano saxophones are great ~ almost an oboe but cooler and oh so cute! But few musical scores are written for soprano saxophones.

About Me

I am a fourth grade teacher. I tend to ramble and a blog seemed like the perfect outlet for it. That way only people who want to hear what I have to say get to listen. You will find that there is no central theme. If you like music, scrapping, art journaling, stories of a mom ready to pull her hair out, you have come to the right place. Welcome to my world.